The American workforce is changing rapidly as more and more employers are beginning to make college degrees a prerequisite for jobs, according to an article in The New York Times.

In 2018, many more jobs will demand at least a two-year associate’s degree opposed to only a high school diploma. In fact, the number of these types of jobs will outnumber the people who are qualified with the proper amount of education by three million, according to a report that will be released by the Center on Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University. The report was cited in The New York Times.

The trend of more necessary education to fill jobs is causing a dramatic shift in the socioeconomic classes of America. In 1970 nearly 75% of Americans considered middle class had no degree higher than a high school diploma. However, in 2007, at least 60% of middle class Americans had some college education.

These figures are also consistent with master’s degrees. Jobs that currently only require a bachelor’s degree are beginning to demand more education for their employees. The competition for jobs will continue to grow, which will greatly increase how much education is necessary for jobs.

The amount of experience required for certain jobs is increasing as well. Jobs that currently have the same responsibility and pay – similar to the figures regarding education – are now requiring more experience.

“High school graduates and dropouts will find themselves largely left behind in the coming decade as employer demand for workers with postsecondary degrees continues to surge,” write Anthony P. Carnevale and the report’s other authors.

Some experts believe that the economic downturn caused over-competition because it dried up the job market. Others state that companies are filling jobs with more-qualified foreign employees that were traditionally filled by Americans.